Any fair assessment of the news reports today would demonstrate we are globally in a mess. It seems we are being threatened on every side of life – with voices all around saying: “ We are leading to an economic meltdown either through inflation or deflation!” “Our businesses are threatened with an increase in cyber attacks for which there is no shield”; “Our personal information has been stolen”; “Our cities are unsafe from the influx of drugs and human traffic”; “Now, threats of rampant disease”; “Earthquakes are happening in unexpected places with unusual frequency!”; “Natural disasters are overtaxing our resources”; “Another credible global terrorist threat?” Where is the safety in the midst of this turbulence?

Today news headlines are all about the situation in the Ukraine with Russian troops invading the sovereign nation, which includes the Crimean Peninsula. This region of the globe has been no stranger to chaos historically. And, then there is Syria, as well as the violence at the borders between Palestine and Israel. The situations are endless. Some people are glued to the TV for the news of such events, while others are yawning saying what else is new? Whether your view is brutal reality or comfortable denial, the situation is the same – our world is in chaos. So what does Christ say about this?

According to an articleby Fox News, the number of Christians killed for their faith in 2013 numbered 2,123, which increased from 1,201 in 2012. The article states: “More than half of those reported killings (1,213) occurred in Syria, followed by Nigeria (612) and Pakistan (88).”

On December 4, 2013, a student was shot in an active-shooter incident by another student in Florida. This article in the Orlando Sentinel explains that when the shooting occurred, the “school's resource officer initiated active-shooter protocols, and almost 100 law-enforcement officers from multiple agencies responded to the scene, where a school nurse had begun treating the victim.” The report also states that the student who was shot is going to be ok.

This is a great example of how implementing active shooter plans in your school, business, church and/or community can go a long way to ensuring the safety of your constituents.

The Apostle Paul was no stranger to persecution. Paul never laid down his armor when resistance to his ministry continued. In the midst he did consistently call believers to total and unconditional surrender to the authority of Jesus Christ. Even in persecution we see in II Corinthians, the Apostle Paul at one moment the pinnacle of joy, the next in despair but not forsaken. This is a good reminder for us as believers as we too are facing persecution worldwide of unprecedented proportions.